Critical Week: Too cool

The weather in London has been diabolical this week, more wintry than spring-like with grey skies, rainshowers and weather that's oddly cold for this time of year. So not too bad for moviewatching. I enjoyed Ben Affleck's new film Air a lot more than expected, but then I wasn't expecting much for a movie about trainers. It's a sharply well-written drama about Nike's creation of the Air Jordan brand, and has terrific performances from Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis and more. And the new adaptation of the roleplaying fantasy game, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, was also a pleasant surprise: a rare blockbuster that's colourful, funny and thoroughly engaging. Thankfully it takes its cues more from The Princess Bride than Marvel or DC. I wrote reviews of it for three different outlets.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Chrissy Judy • Summoning Sylvia
Dungeons & Dragons
ALL REVIEWS >

Further afield, Summoning Sylvia is a riotously silly horror comedy about a group of camp friends in a haunted house, but it has serious undertones that give it unexpected weight. Missing is a well-made thriller told through computer screens (it spins off from Searching), gripping even if the story holds no water at all. A verbatim adaptation of a recording, Reality is the riveting re-enactment of the arrest of a whistleblower, starring a superb Sydney Sweeney. Cairo Conspiracy is a strikingly involving mystery about government interference in religious leadership in Egypt. Of course, exiled filmmaker Tarik Saleh had to shoot it in Turkey and Sweden. And the lightly futuristic Japanese drama Plan 75 is a thoughtful meditation on mortality that's not particularly easy to watch, understandably. 

This coming week is mercifully slow after the past few months. I'll be watching Taron Egerton in Tetris, the Norwegian black comedy Sick of Myself, the Moroccan drama El Houb, the addiction doc Blue Bag Life, and the biographical doc Little Richard: I Am Everything. I also have a theatre show and museum exhibition to check out (reviews here soon).

BFI Flare: Find your tribe

And that's a wrap on the 37th edition of BFI Flare, which I've been covering for 25 years now. The range of films this year was excellent - and as always I missed a lot of things I'd hoped to see. This year I didn't manage to catch many short films, which are often my favourite part of the festival, mainly due to scheduling issues. But I saw 30 features (including best of year movies) and the Five Films For Freedom (see below). My best of fest list is below...

Drifter
dir-scr Hannes Hirsch; with Lorenz Hochhuth, Gustav Schmid 23/Ger ****
This is one of those films that frustrates you while you're watching it, then leaves you feeling like it's oddly unsatisfying, for a variety of reasons. Then on reflection it quickly becomes apparent that filmmaker Hannes has made an extraordinary movie about a young man searching for his identity and connection, and making many of the wrong decisions along the way. So the more you think about it, the film becomes increasingly provocative, involving and even moving. 

Loving Highsmith
dir-scr Eva Vitija; with Patricia Highsmith, Marijane Meake 22/Swi ***.
With this biographical documentary, Swiss filmmaker Eva Vitija film takes an engaging approach that focusses on author Patricia Highsmith's personal life more closely than her work as a writer. This means that the film is packed with lovely firsthand observations and anecdotes that contextualise Highsmith's writings. Cleverly augmented with voiceovers from her diary entries, this is an engaging portrait of how Highsmith's love for a series of women fuelled her books.

Five Films for Freedom
Another extraordinary collection of shorts was made available globally during BFI Flare in cooperation with the British Council, exploring a range of issues and ideas relating to people who identify as LGBTQIA+, especially in places where this is forbidden. From Guyana, Eating Pawpaw on the Seashore is a moving and haunting drama. Shot like a mini-feature, the triumphant Northern Ireland's Just Johnny maintains a comical tone while conveying a powerful message about unconditional love. From Cyprus, Buffer Zone is a wonderfully surreal look at inner yearning. All I Know is a mystery-drama from Nigeria that's quiet and disturbing. And from Korea, Butch Up is a sharply made snapshot of finding a place to fit in.

RICH'S BEST OF THE FEST

1. The Blue Caftan (Touzani, Mor)
2. Unidentified Objects (Zuleta, US)
3. Big Boys (Sherman, US)
4. Chrissy Judy (Flaherty, US)
5. Who I Am Not (Skovran, SA)
6. Drifter (Hirsch, Ger)
7. 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture (Roggio, US)
8. Golden Delicious (Karman, Can)
9. Lie With Me (Peyon, Fr)
10. Egghead and Twinkie (Holland, US)

Stage: Aim higher than the stars

Eugenius!
book, music & lyrics by Ben Adams & Chris Wilkins
with Elliott Evans, Jaina Brock-Patel, James Hameed, Dominic Andersen, Joseph Beach, Laura Denning, Madison Firth, Rhys Taylor, Naomi Alade, Louis Doran, Sebastian Harwood
dir Hannah Chissick
set & lighting Andrew Exeter
musical director Nick Punchbeck
choreographer Aaron Renfree
Turbine Theatre, Battersea • 17.Mar-28.May.23

A buoyant, big-hearted musical with a relentlessly positive message, this show is flooded with 1980s movie references and big power ballads. Written by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins, it's fast, silly and also rather random in its childish approach, which has no edge to it at all, shying away from anything remotely dark or sexy. Even so, it's so much fun that you may find yourself pumping a fist triumphantly in the air at the end.

Opening in Toledo, Ohio, this is the story of the geeky Eugene (Evans) and his best pals, the brainy Janey (Brock-Patel) and the goofy Feris (Hameed), who enjoy acting out Eugene's riotous comic books about Tough Man, his sidekick Super Hot Lady and evil nemesis Lord Hector. When a Hollywood studio runs a competition for a new idea, Janey submits Eugene's work, and the movie quickly goes into production with a muscle-man German actor (Andersen) as Tough Man and an ambitious actress (Firth) as Super Hot Lady. The problem is that the real Hector (Beach) turns up on set from outer space, intent on mass destruction.

A remarkably big show on a small stage, the energy levels are very high through a series of lavishly choreographed musical numbers (energetic big-hair rock with some disco flourishes) and slapstick action sequences that often spread out into the audience. Catchy choruses abound, even if some of the phrasing is a little clumsy (such as the No Pants Dance or the romantic theme Comic Book Kind of Love). While costumes, effects and the use of video screens is superb, the stage set is distractingly busy. And the plot is equally messy, with spiralling story threads and a strong follow-your-dreams message that gets lost in the rush to a romcom climax. 

Even so, all of this is thoroughly engaging thanks to a cast that's fully committed to the mayhem. As Eugene, Evans has a terrific stage presence and a great voice that soars to the rafters, even if the character gets a bit lost in the chaos of the second act. Oddly, both Hameed's amusing Feris and Brock-Patel's sparky Janey are slightly simplistic. But Denning is uproarious as the Weinstein-like studio boss, while Taylor camps it up superbly as her assistant. His green screen gag is the show's funniest sequence. And the top scene-stealer is Beach, who improvises hilarious asides as the snarling Hector. 

Everyone on stage adds soulful touches to their characters, and they also dive fully into the dance numbers, raising the roof in several rousing moments. So in the end, the audience leaves the theatre empowered to embrace our inner geek and to shoot higher than the stars. We also have a big smile on our faces, and it's unclear when we might stop humming the big final number, Go Eugenius!

For information, visit TURBINE THEATRE >

photos by Pamela Raith • 25.Mar.23

BFI Flare: Take a shot

The 37th edition of BFI Flare holds its closing night film and party tonight, with tomorrow set aside for screenings of the best LGBTQIA+ films of both the festival and the past year. So I'll have a final report to wrap things up - including short films and my personal favourites. I had hoped to include a report on the festival's new Expanded programme of virtual reality projects, but it was only open for three days and was seriously overcrowded. So while I still have a few features and shorts to watch, here's another offbeat collection of highlights...

Golden Delicious
dir Jason Karman; with Cardi Wong, Chris Carson 22/Can ****
Warm and engaging, this Canadian comedy-drama uses strongly sympathetic characters to encourage the audience to explore big issues relating to family and societal expectations. Asian ethnicity and queer sexuality play a role in the various story threads, which remain resonant even when things get a bit melodramatic in the final act. Throughout the film, director Jason Karman maintains a wonderfully light touch, and the gifted, fresh-faced cast members are easy to root for.

Winter Boy [Le Lycéen]
dir-scr Christophe Honore; with Paul Kircher, Juliette Binoche 22/Fr ***
French filmmaker Christophe Honore tells another remarkably intimate story, once again weaving in autobiographical elements that add a powerfully detailed emotionality to the unfolding drama. While the film is overlong and occasionally feels meandering, it has real strength in the way it recounts events from a teen's specific perspective. This offers conflicting thoughts and feelings that force the audience to get involved. And the cast is wonderfully engaging.

Afeminadas [aka: Effeminate]
dir-scr Wesley Gondim; with Igor Willian, Khryz Amusa 22/Br ***.
Compiled from remarkably raw footage, this documentary visits five people around Brazil to explore the experiences of effeminate gay men. While all have their sexuality in common, what's most striking here is that each has such a distinct persona, expressing their thoughts and feelings both in unstructured interviews for the cameras and on-stage as performers on lively stages. The film is infused with life and colour, and it also completely strips away the artifice.

Fierce: A Porn Revolution [Ardente-x-s]
dir Patrick Muroni; with Melanie Boss, Olivia Schenker 22/Swi ***
While this documentary takes on an important topic and is beautifully shot, it never quite seems to get to the story the filmmakers are trying to tell. There's definitely a need for a female gaze in the porn industry, and the Oil collective in Switzerland has developed some clever ways to approach the issue. But the skilled camera crew follows them right off the topic, so the documentary leaves these lively, intelligent women looking like they're merely indulgent. But at least they're having a lot of fun.

BEST OF YEAR
Bodies Bodies Bodies
dir Halina Reijn; with Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova 22/US ****
Gleefully mashing-up genres, this riotous black comedy takes the form of a slasher horror movie, and it's also packed with slapstick mayhem, interpersonal tension and social commentary. It's expertly assembled by the filmmakers and a seriously up-for-it cast to freak us out and make us laugh. But even more intriguing is that the movie pushes us to think about the nature of relationships for today's generation of young people... FULL REVIEW >

FROM THE ARCHIVE
Le Beau Mec [aka: Dude]
dir Wallace Potts; with Karl Forest, Frank Chazal, Philippe Renaud 79/Fr ****
Thought to be a lost film, this vintage French arthouse pornography has been digitally restored, complete with its English overdub narration. Directed by Wallace Potts, Rudolf Nureyev's last lover, it's a sharply well-made movie with eye-catching visual style and some remarkably dark themes. While it's very explicit, the film is also quirky and unexpected, with a range of sequences that catch the viewer by surprise. And it has an unusually personal perspective to even its sexiest moments.

BFI Flare: The best version of yourself

Heading into the final stretch of the 37th BFI Flare, it's been interesting to see how the films are reflecting a much broader experience of LGBTQIA+ people. Indeed, the formerly titled London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival has expanded to tell more complex trans and intersex stories, including this year's centrepiece film Who I Am Not. I can't remember a previous year in which both the opening and centrepiece titles were documentaries, and both of these films recount powerful narratives while highlighting experiences that are rarely if ever put on-screen. Here are some more film highlights from Flare, plus my usual Critical Week below...

Who I Am Not
dir-scr Tunde Skovran; with Sharon-Rose Khumalo, Dimakatso Sebidi 23/SA ****
Intersex babies are normal but rare, and yet many societies seem unable to accept this fact. From South Africa, this film finds honesty, humour and moving emotions as its subjects describe how it feels to be neither male nor female biologically. Romanian actor-turned-filmmaker Tunde Skovran simply watches them as they interact with family members, doctors and each other. She also incorporates art and boldly imaginative imagery to meaningfully explore how society can embrace these special people.

Chrissy Judy
dir-scr Todd Flaherty; with Todd Flaherty, Wyatt Fenner 22/US ****
While this story is told from the perspective of someone who thinks that 30 is old, it's a lovely look at how friendships ebb and flow over the years. Actor-filmmaker Todd Flaherty has an astute ear for dialog and a terrific eye for comedy, shooting in black and white to give this a classic screwball flavour, complete with a series of lovely nods to Some Like It Hot. Yes, the film is that ambitious, even on what is clearly a very small budget. It's also deeply charming.

Lie With Me [Arrête Avec Tes Mensonges]
dir-scr Olivier Peyon; with Guillaume de Tonquedec, Victor Belmondo 22/Fr ****
Surging with deep emotions that are never sentimental, this French drama explores the power of narratives themselves as a writer confronts an unfinished relationship from his past. Writer-director Olivier Peyon deploys gorgeous cinematography and skilful editing to keep scenes grounded in realism while also cranking up some seriously intense feelings. So the film is romantic, sexy and also provocative in the way it challenges us to meaningfully confront our own history.

Narcissism: The Auto-Erotic Images
dir-scr Toni Karat; with Toni Karat, Birgit Bosold 22/Ger ***
Director Toni Karat perhaps takes on a bit too much with this ambitions project, combining a photography book with a documentary film to explore the idea of self-love. While the images are absolutely stunning, they say even more than the talky interviews, which sometimes feel academic and perhaps even strident. Yes, each point made is an important one, especially when commenting on gender disparity in society. But the nuance gets lost in the spoken words.

BEST OF YEAR
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
dir Laura Poitras; with Nan Goldin, Megan Kapler 22/US ****.
With this extraordinary film, documentarian Laura Poitras takes a multifaceted look at a fascinating artist. As a biography of photographer Nan Goldin, this is a clear-eyed look at her life, work and survival. And it seamlessly connects her efforts to raise awareness of the Sackler family's direct responsibility in more than half a million deaths from opioid addiction. All of this is skilfully woven together with a remarkably gentle hand... FULL REVIEW >

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

I've been struggling to fit in theatrical releases alongside the festival films this week, but I did manage to see Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman in A Good Person, a perhaps overlong but strongly resonant drama about human connections. Keanu Reeves returned for John Wick: Chapter 4, which is a vast improvement over the last couple of chapters, feeling fresher, more stylish and dramatically deeper. Supercell is a rather silly storm-chaser thriller with Skeet Ulrich and Alec Baldwin, overloaded with melodrama and cliches, but still entertaining. And from Italy, The Eight Mountains is a spectacular epic about a complex friendship between two very different young men.

As BFI Flare continues until Sunday, I will also be watching next week's action-fantasy blockbuster Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, Ben Affleck's Nike biopic Air, Alexandra Shipp in Space Oddity, the screen-based thriller Missing, horror comedy Summoning Sylvia, Japanese drama Plan 75, political thriller Cairo Conspiracy and Moroccan drama El Houb. And I also have a stage show to see (review here soon).

BFI Flare: The struggle is real

As BFI Flare continues this week on the Southbank, it's a reminder that films about people outside the mainstream really need to be more present throughout society. They may be hard to find in multiplexes, but more are turning up on streaming platforms, so search them out. Over the past few days at Flare I've seen movies about people who happen to be gay, lesbian, trans or intersex, and each has something important to say to society at large. These are resonant stories about identity and community, told through perspectives that are important to understand. And there's something powerful about watching them with at a festival like this, with audience members who are open to challenges and provocations, plus the chance to interact with the filmmakers themselves. As the festival hits its midpoint, here are some more highlights...

Big Boys
dir-scr Corey Sherman; with Isaac Krasner, Dora Madison 23/US ****
There's an internalised, autobiographical tone to this warm comedy-drama about a young teen on a journey of self-discovery regarding his sexuality. Writer-director Corey Sherman knowingly observes both small details and much larger themes, which will help anyone in the audience resonate strongly with this witty, sometimes even sexy odyssey. This is a story about a boy realising that it's time for him to come out to those closest to him. And taking the first step is terrifying.

Unidentified Objects
dir Juan Felipe Zuleta;  with Matthew August Jeffers, Sarah Hay 22/US ****
Wildly inventive, this lively road comedy has a wonderfully fantastical streak running all the way through it, even as the story grapples with seriously grounded themes. It may be a bonkers adventure involving a little person who's gay and a woman who makes a living as a webcam model, but the writing, direction and acting have a lot to say about overcoming everyday fears. It's also a hugely engaging journey that's packed with wonderfully surreal touches and moments that are both hilarious and moving.

XX+XY
dir Lee So Yoon; with Ahn Hyun Ho, Choi Woo Sun 22/Kor ****
Life is an endless series of decisions about everything from food to romance, but this film centres on things you can't choose, like your gender. Bright and observant, this Korean comedy-drama centres on an intersex teen who is confronted with this exact choice. Aimed at a teen audience, this is a witty, clever film that takes on something rarely depicted on-screen with charm and insight, relishing the awkwardness and misunderstandings between characters. And it has a lot to say to anyone who's paying attention.

The Fabulous Ones [Le Favolose]
dir Roberta Torre; with Porpora Marcasciano, Nicole De Leo 22/It ***.
With a wonderfully cheeky tone, this meandering Italian documentary-drama is a joyful exploration of connections between a group of middle-aged Italian trans women. It's a warm, honest film that reflects a varied range of feelings and experiences. Beautifully shot and edited, the movie is assembled artistically by director-cowriter Roberta Torre, revealing a matter-of-fact affection for these colourful people who refuse to be normal, so instead they are fabulous... FULL REVIEW >

Mel
dir Inna Sahakyan; with Mel Daluzyan, Lilit Lalayan 22/Arm ***
Shot in a pure fly-on-the-wall style, this documentary remains almost unnervingly honest as it traces the life of an Armenian champion weightlifter who competed as a woman but always knew he was a man. So in addition to his personal journey, the film captures the religious and political issues that drove him from his home, as well as a complex relationship with his girlfriend. By simply observing them while avoiding both controversies and narrative conclusions, the film feels unsatisfying, but it still has raw power.

BEST OF YEAR
Blue Jean
dir-scr Georgia Oakley; with Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes 22/UK ****
Set in a northern English seaside town during the tumultuous Thatcher years, this drama has an earthy realism that finds timely themes almost 35 years ago. While the personal story is compelling and full of involving detail, it's not always easy to watch a film in which everyone is so miserable. Thankfully, writer-director Georgia Oakley finds moments of humour and joy along the way, and the cast is excellent... FULL REVIEW >

BFI Flare: Raise your hands

Of course, it's only the first weekend of BFI Flare, and I'm already feeling sleep-deprived. It doesn't help that the warm/cold weather has caused havoc with my sinuses, I'm still recovering from a missed night's sleep to watch the Oscars, and each day is starting early and ending late. But I'm still out and about, seeing films and catching up with festival friends at BFI Southbank, which is aways a buzzy venue throughout the run of this festival. I may not feel like the life of the party this year, but I'm out and about - so say hello if you see me. Here are some more highlights...

Swallowed
dir-scr Carter Smith; with Cooper Koch, Jose Colon  22/US ***
Unusually unsettling, this offbeat horror thriller features a line-up of visceral jolts that cleverly play on deeper internalised ideas. Writer-director Carter Smith takes a stripped-back approach to filmmaking, keeping things gritty and loose while honing in on quirky character details and playing provocatively with tropes from both horror and gay cinema. So even if the story and characters are somewhat lacking when it comes to internal logic, the film creates a superbly queasy sense of unease.

Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn
dir Timothy Harris; with Malcolm Kenyatta, Matt Miller 23/US ****
Covering a vitally important political campaign in perhaps too much detail, this documentary is essential viewing simply for what it says about American politics. Using a fly-on-the-wall style over the course of two years, filmmaker Timothy Harris zeroes in on a milestone candidate who simply rejects the idea that only straight white guys can run the country. As a gay Black man, Malcolm Zenyatta knows rather a lot more about the state of his community.

Horseplay [Los Agitadores]
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Bruno Giganti, Agustin Machta 22/Arg ***.
Argentine filmmaker Marco Berger continues to provocatively explore the nature of masculinity in this loosely unstructured comedy-drama about a group of friends who play very close to the boundaries. But the meandering pace conceals a startling swell of very dark emotions, from toxic machismo to self-loathing homosexuality. These things are depicted in ways that force the viewer to think, continually blurring the lines society says are neatly cut and dried.

Wolf and Dog [Lobo e Cão]
dir-scr Claudia Varejao; with Ana Cabral, Ruben Pimenta 22/Por ****
Set in the Azores archipelago, this strikingly visual slice of life is artfully shot by cinematographer Rui Xavier. Writer-director Claudia Varejao tells the story in a way that feels almost accidental, capturing tiny moments that accumulate along the way. The narrative feels meandering and elusive, with only a few sharply pointed events, but this provides the space for us to put ourselves into the situations and consider our reactions... FULL REVIEW >

Bread and Salt [Chleb i Sól]
dir-scr Damian Kocur; with Tymoteusz Bies, Jacek Bies 22/Pol ***
Bracingly shot in observational style, this Polish drama gets up close to its characters even as it neglects the narrative. It's an often harrowing depiction of a small town where young people think it's cool to deal in racism, bigotry and bullying. And the thoughtful central character draws us in, even if his journey remains stubbornly off-camera. Writer-director Damian Kocur has a terrific eye for real-life interaction, so the film has power as a document of a place and time. But stronger storytelling might have made it involving and moving.

BEST OF YEAR
The Inspection
dir-scr Elegance Bratton; with Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union 22/US ****.
There's striking artistry in the way filmmaker Elegance Bratton recounts an autobiographical narrative about a Black gay man in US Marines boot camp during the "don't ask, don't tell" years. Never preachy, the film has an earthy, intensely internalised tone that puts its complex characters into a razor-sharp perspective. And its knowing authenticity adds both deep emotion and a textured, vital comment on the nature of bigotry... FULL REVIEW >

Stage: Confronting colonialism

Broken Chord
choreography Gregory Maqoma
music Thuthuka Sibisi
with Gregory Maqoma, Tshegofatso Khunwane, Nokuthula Magubane, Simphiwe Sikhakhane, Lubabalo Velebhayi and the Echo Vocal Ensemble conducted by Sarah Latto
dramaturg Shanell Winlock Pailman
technical design Oliver Hauser
sound Nthuthuko Mbuyazi
costumes Laduma Ngxokolo
Sadler's Wells, London • 17-18.Mar.23

Strongly resonant on a variety of almost inexpressible layers, this clever performance piece combines music and movement to tell a true story through an impressionistic eye. Choreographer-performer Gregory Maqoma and musician Thuthuka Sibisi take an unusually visceral approach, with eye-catching staging and powerfully engaging music that cuts to deeper currents of truth under the surface. So watching this show feels like a revelation.

Blending traditional Xhosa and modern dance styles, this is the story of the African Choir, which in 1861 travelled from South Africa to Britain to raise funds for a school. They even performed for Queen Victoria. They are played as exuberant artists by Maqoma and four fellow singers, who have complex reactions to their encounters with this culture that has colonised their homeland. Surrounded and sometimes cruelly confronted by the British people, played by the Echo Vocal Ensemble, they assert their own experiences and traditions.

While depicting a specific event, the performance bristles with wider repercussions relating to the power dynamics between the coloniser and the colonised, including the sense of cultural superiority that exists on both sides and should be able to coexist peacefully, each enhancing the other. Bluntly told by the Brits to "go home", these musicians are forced to confront their inner fears and decide whether to face bigotry head-on or to run away. And as they stand within this white gaze, the show encompasses waves of meaningful themes relating to migration and identity.

Most important is the way this piece puts these experiences into sensual perspective, so that remembering history becomes a physical act in a series of stunning set-pieces, most eye-catchingly in a sequence involving flour and dough. It's intensely provocative, but also celebratory in the way it digs beneath the surface to explore the humanity underneath. So while this is a beautiful piece that's loose enough to allow for a variety of interpretations, it's also both darkly challenging and deeply hopeful.

For details, visit SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Lolo Vasco & Thomas Muller • 17.Mar.23

Stage: Fair is foul and foul is fair

FLABBERGAST THEATRE'S 
The Tragedy of Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
with Henry Maynard, Briony O'Callaghan, Simon Gleave, Daniel Chrisostomou, Vyte Garriga, Paulina Krzeczkowska, Dale Wylde, Kyll Anthony Thomas Cole
director/designer Henry Maynard
music Adam Clifford
Southwark Playhouse Borough • 14.Mar-8.Apr.23

Like an assault on the senses, Flabbergast takes on Shakespeare with a high-volume storm of mud and blood. It's a purely visceral production that will engage fans of the Scottish play with its earthy sensibilities and quirky touches. On the other hand, those unfamiliar with the material will find it almost impossible to follow, as the dialog is extremely difficult to hear and the narrative is thoroughly blurred by the on-stage chaos.

This is Shakespeare's familiar story of ambition and paranoia, as Macbeth (played by company founder Maynard) and his power-hungry lady wife (O'Callaghan) conspire to kill King Duncan (Chrisostomou). Macbeth assumes the throne, but the couple is consumed with fear that someone will try to take them down. They proceed to kill those closest to them in an attempt to protect their rule, but this sparks a civil war. 

All of this takes place in a whirl of activity on the floor of the theatre, surrounded on three sides by the audience. The violence is intense, including against children (who are evocatively performed using puppetry), with wine and ink spilled in bloody puddles. Silly comical interludes emerge out of nowhere, with performers mugging playfully at the audience before diving back into the epic tale of betrayal and murder.

Wearing floor-length skirts and increasingly grubby attire, each actor inhabits multiple roles, and since it's so difficult to hear the dialog, this makes it even trickier to keep track of characters and plot-lines. As does the repeated technique of cast members speaking words in unison, which sounds cool but is impenetrable. Even so, the surge of energy and passion is vividly felt, and there are some genuinely wrenching moments along the way, such as when Macduff (also Chrisostomou) learns that his wife (a soulful Krzeczkowska) and children have been killed on Macbeth's orders.

Obviously, this play has real power, and has resonated strongly for centuries as it grapples with enormous themes. The three witches that drive the action are vividly rendered here by the cast's three actress, with shrieking voices that chill the soul. And there are plenty of other loud screams, bangs, thuds, raucous songs and lively choreography to keep things sparking. None of this is terribly original, but it looks great. Although by eliminating the softer textures, it feels like little more than sound and fury.

For details, visit SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE >

photos by Michael Lynch • 16.Mar.23

BFI Flare: Take back the streets

The 37th edition of the British Film Institute's Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival kicked off last night at BFI Southbank in defiance of the government-caused strike that shut down the entire Tube network. This is one of the largest and most important film festivals in the UK, and its influence goes global as a celebration of the very best films tackling queer topics. It's also one of my favourite festivals, because the Southbank becomes party central for 10 days. We all love reconnecting our "Flare friends" each year - a particularly great bunch of people. And it's also a rare festival that still has filmmakers mixing in with the audience. Here are some highlights for the first couple of days (with my usual Critical Week down below)...

The Stroll
dir Zackary Drucker, Kristen Lovell; with Kristen Lovell, Ceyenne, Carey 23/US ****
Documenting a specific period in the New York queer scene, this film has a sense of urgency about it that's impossible to escape. These are the stories of real people who transcended their circumstances to make a huge impact on society, and yet they're still battling against hateful bigotry. Filmmaker Kristen Lovell bravely puts her life on the screen, adeptly codirecting with the gifted Zackary Drucker, revealing the humanity of transgender sex workers who are still seeking basic human rights.

Egghead & Twinkie
dir-scr Sarah Kambe Holland; with Louis Tomeo, Sabrina Jie-a-fa 23/US ****
Colourfully augmented with eye-catching animation, this lively teen road trip comedy is bright and funny, and it has a strongly pointed edge as well. Writer-director Holland includes such personal details that this must be an autobiographical story. The characters have remarkably authentic layers to them. And while the film is aimed at a young audience, it says a lot about the complexities of figuring out who you are and finding your way in a world where you feel like a social oddball.

Three Nights a Week [Trois Nuits par Semaine]
dir Florent Gouelou; with Pablo Pauly, Romain Eck 22/Fr ***.
Beautifully shot with lush light and colour, this French drama spins around a warm, offbeat relationship that catches two people, and their friends, by surprise. The drawn-out narrative plays like a gay fantasy, as that cute guy isn't as straight as he thinks he is. So the plot sometimes feels over-deliberate. But honest feelings run through each scene. And director Florent Gouelou isn't afraid to lean into a feel-good moment... FULL REVIEW >

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture
dir Sharon "Rocky" Roggio; with Kathy Baldock, Ed Oxford 22/US ***.
Aimed at viewers who know their way around the Bible, this documentary features people who take Christianity seriously as they take on a hot potato topic: looking into what the Bible actually says about homosexuality. Using scholarly research, the film finds proof of mistranslations that have led to misunderstandings, extensive abuse and ruptured relationships. And filmmaker Sharon Roggio is grappling with this topic in a way that's remarkably personal... FULL REVIEW >

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Strip Jack Naked: Nighthawks II
dir Ron Peck; with Ron Peck, Nick Bolton 91/UK ****.
Not actually a sequel, this is an experimental making-of doc that also serves as a detailed autobiography of the filmmaker. It's telling, provocative and extremely personal, and has its own important place in film history. Peck assembles the material in a kaleidoscopic way, framed with images of men in an editing suite looking at clips from 1978's Nighthawks, including scenes from the fundraising pilot and extensive footage that was cut out of the film... FULL REVIEW >

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C R I T I C A L  W E E K

Movies to watch this week included the star-packed 80 for Brady, which is sustained by the powerful wattage of Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field, despite an odd, unfunny script. The superhero sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods abandons the brightly funny original's tone for more dour grey-hued effects-based mayhem, which seems like a silly mistake (see also the recent Ant-Man sequel). Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game is an engaging biopic that distracts the audience with far too much geek-out detail about the origins and importance (!) of pinball. Rye Lane is one of the best British romantic comedies in recent memory, original and very funny, with charming leads and terrific South London locations. And I of course had to check out Andrea Riseborough's Oscar nominated performance in To Leslie. She's great, the film's ok.

This coming week I'll mainly be watching films that are part of BFI Flare, plus Keanu Reeves back for John Wick Chapter 4, Florence Pugh in A Good Person, the Italian drama The Eight Mountains, the true-life Spanish thriller The Beasts and the doc Kubrick by Kubrick. And I also have a couple of theatre press nights (reviews here soon).